This Curse of Mine
by Bored-M
Summary: Chopper was the first to go. Then Luffy, then Robin, then Usopp... The mightiest crew on the seas was falling apart, save for one. Soul King Brooke. The Pirate Age was ending, his friends all dead, Brooke was left to live forever lonely. But the end of this age, can be the start of the next one.


**One Piece is awesome. Everything's so cool now.**  
 **Disclaimer: I don't own One Piece.**

* * *

Chopper was the first to go.

The reindeer had long exceeded his lifespan, and, at the age of 32, expired in his sleep. He left behind his teenage son, as his wife had also passed a few years before him.

His death impacted Usopp the most. Although Chopper lived on Zou and Usopp at Syrup Village, they had still kept contact long after they had conquered the seas and disbanded. There was a spark that wavered in the sniper's eyes; although children crowded around 'Old Man Usopp' to hear his fabulous tales, it just wasn't the same to the old man in question.

Not many attended his funeral; the rest of the crew only heard months later.

* * *

Next was the captain himself.

His Gear 2 and Gear 3 and Gear 4 attacks were harder on his body the older he got, but being constantly hunted by the Marines required those skills that he could no longer proficiently use. In addition, Ivankov had taken 10 years from his life to save him from the poison; this concluded the Pirate King's life at 57.

Suddenly, his deeds vanished from the papers. Suddenly, there was no one to barge through floating restaurant * _Les Poissons Volants_ ' ornate doors, demanding all the meat they had and thoroughly pissing off the head chef, head waiter, and owner; there was no one to drift alongside a wandering swordsman, attacking whoever dared to bother their nap and eating whatever swam up next to them; there was no one to crash through a mansion's ceiling and irritating the owner, bringing rain and thunder to that area for days on end; there was no one to hop up next to a storyteller, and rudely interrupt by recounting his own adventures to the crowd; there was no one to ruin a rock star's concert by destroying the stadium because he didn't buy tickets but wanted to take a look; there was no one to consult an archaeologist on the treasures he found, only to find that it was all junk; there was no one to 'accidentally' burn some of the finest ships built by the most famous shipyard in the world.

The respite from his antics were initially welcome to his disgruntled crew, but as the time from his last visit prolonged they became worried. The crew of the Pirate King had to learn of his death from the news, and the Marines.

* * *

Robin died soon after.

At 79, she was found by the World Government. Imprisoned within Impel Down for 2 years, she was executed at 81. She was like a 'big sister' to most of them, the one with all the answers, and her death would be the cause of long mournings.

News of her death circulated the 4 seas. The crew of the Pirate King, who had rarely contacted each other after disbandment, was starting to fall apart.

* * *

Perhaps it was due to old age, or to the grief of both his best friends and his wife gone, Usopp passed away after Robin. He met with Chopper and Luffy in his dreams, and went with them; his age was 73.

He was the most low-key out of all of them, and it was years before the others heard of his passing.

* * *

Sanji was next. His death would be comical, so _mundane_ for a person of his strength, if it weren't so tragic. Lung cancer was the perpetrator; long years of constant smoking had left its impact. He was 78.

They were all growing old, but not realizing it. They could no longer hit as harder, run as faster, fight as easily.

Zoro's death would have caused him much teasing, so utterly like him, and if their captain and cook were still alive he would have also died from embarrassment. He accepted a challenge as the strongest swordsman — and lost. His 80th birthday had just past.

Nami had held out for long, but even she fell prey to illness. A tumor grew near her brain for years, and by the time the doctor got to it, it was too late. She was 83.

Only by miracle of science was Franky still alive, and he and Brooke would constantly meet up for a drink or reminisce. As his mortal parts began dying, he replaced them with mechanical ones; eventually, even his organs that couldn't be replaced needed maintenance. He died at 157.

As the sole survivor once more, Brooke spent most of his time at the Lighthouse of the Grand Line next to Laboon.

The Age of Pirates began to fade away and merge into the next age; not as many ships would cross the Grand Line as the days of the Pirate King. Technological advancement slowed, with the death of genius scientist Vegapunk.

Brooke stared at the waves lapping against the tall walls of the Grand Line. One day, all the walls of these mountains would be eroded by the waves. Brooke realized that when that happened, he would still be here.

He tried to cheer himself up; playing music, perfecting his 40˚ angle stand, rolling around and crying with laughter at his own antics. But deep down, in the very essence of his shadow, he knew that those tears were tears of sorrow. His power, this privilege, now seemed like a curse. This curse of his, he would have to bear till the end of time.

* * *

Laboon had just died. Brooke took his time as he dug a grave deep enough for the whale, then buried him there. The work made him forget the hole in his heart.

"Oh wait, I don't have a heart! Yohohoho!"

* * *

How many years has it been? This gift he was bestowed had served its purpose: he had lived long enough to serve the greatest pirate captain in all time. It was a curse. His curse.

He made up his mind.

* * *

Marines patrolling G-1 on that day saw quite a sight: A flamboyantly dressed skeleton calmly ran across the waves and leapt over their impenetrable walls. Guns pointed to him from all directions. The marines knew exactly who and what he was, and was prepared for a fight. What they weren't prepared for was what happened next.

"Make it quick please. I want to see my friends again," The Soul King would have smiled if he still had a face; his skull had long been eroded away to nearly nothing, and all the milk in the world would not cure the emptiness in his heart.

* * *

It was raining, Brooke observed as he was brought out. Even so, a large crowd came out to observe the ending of the Age of Pirates. That's what it was, Brooke thought with a little surprise. With him ends the Golden Age of Piracy, a time of dashing escapades, romantic adventures and alcohol. Lots and lots of alcohol.

The stairs up to the execution platform was slick, whether with blood or water, Brooke noted as he casually strolled up the steps. His hands were chained behind him.

"Move it!"

There was a spring in his step that he had not known for a long time. The thought of seeing his friends again rejuvenated him, energized his tired and weary bones.

Brooke's suit was burnt, then frozen, then burnt again from the week he was in Impel Down. To be honest, Luffy made it seem so easy; Brooke would liken it to worse than a living hell. But wait, he had already been to the real hell!

"Yohohoho!"

"I said, move it!"

The Marine Admiral cleared his throat as Brooke was forced into a kneeling position. The blades the executioners held glinted green with seastone. Brooke knew there was no returning from this. Perhaps once he would be afraid of death, but the only feeling he had was calm. That was the scary part: for once in his life, Brooke was deadly calm.

"Acting captain of the Rumbar Pirates and Straw Hat Pirates, you are going to be executed for your acts of piracy and aiding the Pirate King. Do you have any last words?"

The heavens had opened its floodgates as water gushed out from the grey skies. A fitting end, Brooke thought. It would not be an honorable death, but he had not been a very honorable person. Water dripped onto the remains of his skull as he contemplated.

"No."

Brooke surveyed the crowd below the platform. The age of pirates was ending; the chivalrous Straw Hats were but a relic in the past.

The blades came down.

* * *

"Took you long enough, Brooke!"

* * *

 *** The Flying Fish. A tribute to Duval.**  
 **I hope you like this. I know I'm not an angsty writer, but I was bored.**  
 **Please review!**  
 **EDIT: I changed the cheesy parts (again). If it was still cheesy, then... review!**


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